Page 179 - English - Teaching Academic Esl Writing

TEACHING VERB TENSES AND VOICE 165
In (1), the fry-phrase can be understood from the context of a written group assignment; in (2), the writers did not know or did not care to men- tion the agent, and the sentence can easily do without the by-phrase. In (3), both fry-phrases—the bythem and byus—are unnecessary because the agent in each phrase can be understood from the context.
Avast majority of passive sentences in formal academic writing do not include the by-phrase.
In summary, L2 writers encounter a number of difficulties with appropri- ate uses of passive constructions in English. Some have to do with various complexities in the meanings and uses of passives and others with the influ- ence of the first language grammar on the learners' uses of passive in Eng- lish when it is learned as a second language. However, due to the prevalence of the passive voice in academic writing in English, L2 writers need to learn to employ passive constructions correctly.
Several important considerations must be taken into account in instruction on the passive voice in academic writing.
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The greatest difference between active and passive constructions is stylistic, and in English passives have no additional meanings com- pared with those of active structures.
Many passive constructions in English are idiomatic, and these need to be learned.
In English sentences, instruments and abstract concepts can be subject of active verbs even when the sentence subject does not ac- tually perform the activity expressed by the verb. For this reason, for example, such structures as the book fell, the door is sliding, or the newspaper arrives late every time are perfectly grammatical.
Only transitive verbs that require direct objects can be used in the passive voice.
The fry-phrase is always optional in English sentences, and it is rarely used in academic writing.
WorkingWithPassive Constructions
In light of the many complexities associated with the contextual uses of the passive voice in English, one of the easier techniques that L2 writers can rely on with great effect is to select verbs that almost alwaysoccur in passive and learn and practice using them.
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